President Rodrigo Duterte declared that he would stay silent on bilyonaryo Lucio Tan’s failure to pay taxes after the Philippine Airlines owner deployed at his request several planes to pick up distressed overseas Filipino workers in Kuwait.

In a speech, Duterte revealed that he harbored no ill will against Tan even though the fourth richest Filipino supported another candidate in the 2016 elections.

SinceTan was forced to cough up P6 billion in unpaid PAL dues last October after Duterte threatened to shut down his operations, the President said the bilyonaryo has more than made up for his chronic tax problems with his generous offer to bring back OFWs from Kuwait.

Duterte said Tan was so generous he offered to send more free planes to Kuwait.

“At ilang beses sila nag-offer ng eroplano libre na. Lucio Tan, I said, called yesterday offering another plane. I’d like to just say to Mr. Lucio Tan and the Gokongwei family, si Lance, in behalf of my — in behalf of our countrymen, salamat po [applause] and I will remember you for all time,” he said